Aquaponics is a vegetation (e.g., vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, grasses, flowers, plants, or any other type of editable or non-editable vegetation) production system that combines supporting aquatic organisms (e.g., raising fish, snails, crayfish, prawns, or other like organisms in tanks) in aquaculture system with a hydroponic system (e.g., cultivating plants in water outside of the ground) in a symbiotic environment. The by-products (e.g., excretions and waste) from the animals being raised accumulate in tank, which increases the toxicity of the water in the tanks. The by-products are broken down by nitrogen-fixing bacteria into nitrates and nitrites, and the water is fed to the hydroponic systems where plants use the nitrates and nitrites as nutrients. The water is then recirculated back to the aquaculture system. Plants are grown as in hydroponics systems, with their roots immersed in the nutrient-rich water. These systems working together enable the ammonia that is toxic to the aquatic animals to be filtered out of the system, while at the same time providing nutrients to the plants. After the water has passed through the hydroponic subsystem, it is cleaned and oxygenated, and can return to the aquaculture tanks. This cycle is continuous.
As existing hydroponic and aquaculture farming techniques form the basis for all aquaponics systems, the size, complexity, and types of vegetation grown in an aquaponics systems can vary as much as any system found in either distinct farming discipline. Not all existing systems of aquaponics can be satisfactorily applied to indoor large and/or small scale use. Issues such as appearance, humidity, where the water is routed if a leak occurs, and adaptability for farming different types of vegetation are all considerations for indoor systems. The present invention addresses these needs by providing an aquaponics system that allows for the production of various types of vegetation, in various scales, and in various locations.